Dispenser



Oct. 30, 1962 J. E. SCHENKER DISPENSER Filed Oct. 6, 1958 United StatesPatent Olice.

Bhlg Patented Oct. 30, 1962 spsnasz DISPENSER .lach E. Schenker, 2301Wabansia Ave., Chicago, Ill. Fiied Get. 6, 1953, Ser. No. 765,448 sclaims. (ci. 20e-42) The invention relates generally to containers anddispensers and more particularly to a dispenser for small pellets andthe like.

The invention has particular application to containers or dispensers forpellets or pills, such as aspirin and other medicinal preparations,which are so designed that only a single pellet may be discharged fromthe container at one time, and in which one of the pellets may beutilized as a part of the actuating means for opening the container todischarge a pellet, the arrangement preferably being such that thepellet utilized to actuate the structure is the second pellet in thedischarge line whereby only the leading pellet can thus be dischargedfrom the container.

Another object of the invention is the production of a dispensingcontainer having the above features which may be readily fabricated fromplastic or the like, formed as a one-piece structure and which isexceedingly simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture andpresents an attractive appearance.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a dispenserwhich is so designed that it may be readily operated and at the sametime normally retain the contents in a clean, protected condition.

Many other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

IIn the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pellet dispenser embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken approximately on the line 2-2 of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view simliar to FIG. 2 but with the structureillustrated in a pellet discharging position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 4 4 of FIG.l;

FIG. 5 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 of a method form ofconstruction;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 6 6 of FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but with the structureillustrated in pellet discharging position;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 8--8 of FIG.5, and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a modified form of wall structure.

The present invention contemplates the use of a structure wherein thedischarging mechanism may be actuated through one of the pellets,preferably the second pellet in the discharge line thereby insuring thatonly the leading pellet will be discharged when the structure is open.In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, this isaccomplished by utilizing a container structure which has an internaldepth of approximately the thickness of hte pellets to be dispensed withthe discharge opening being formed by movement of a portion of one Wallof the structure by applying pressure to the opposite wall thereof whichpressure is transmitted through one of the pellets to the opposite wall.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 4,the reference numeral 1 indicates generally a container having a pair ofgenerally rectangular shaped walls 2 and 3 connected byrelatively narrowedge walls 4 and 5, the construction being such that the container maybe readily fabricated out of light plastic, with the desired Wallportions, or a part thereof being molded therewith or otherwise formed.While the shape of the container. may be varied, it is believed that therectangular shape illustrated is particularly suitable with respect tosimplicity, ease in manufacture, use, etc.

Positioned in the container is a partition wall 6 which is spaced fromthe adjacent side wall 4 a distance slightly greater than the diameterof the pellets which are to be contained therein, with the partitionwall 6 extending from the adjacent end Wall 5 to a point beyond thecenter of the container as indicated at 7, operative to receive aplurality of pellets in seriatim relation.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the bottom lwall 3 of the container isprovided with a slot 8 therein which extends substantially parallel tothe adjacent side wall 4 to form an elongated tongue-like member 9, theouter edge of which is not secured to the edge wall 4 so that the onlyconnection of the tongue is that formed at the base thereof with thewall 3. Consequently, the member 9 may be sprung to a position similarto that illustrated in FIG. 3 with the member being bent outwardly fromor adjacent its junction with the wall 3 to form a discharge opening forthe pellets, the adjacent portions of the partition wall 6 and edge wall4 forming a stop for the member 9 when the latter is in a closedposition.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper wall 2 is provided with a U-shapedslot 11 therein, the leg portions of which terminate as indicated at 12generally adjacent the end 13 of the slot 8. The slot 11 thus defines anactuating member 14 which is connected to the Wall 2 solely at its basewhereby it may be moved inwardly by applying pressure thereto .asindicated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the end of the actuatingportion 14 is set back from the inner face of the adjacent edge wall 5 adistance greater than the diameter of a single pellet so that uponapplying pressure to the member 14, it may engage the second pellet inthe `discharge line. To facilitate the actuation of the member 14, asuitable button or knob 15 may be provided thereon, the latter beingformed of suitable material as, for example, plastic; and cemented orother-wise attached thereto.

The device may be filled with pellets in any suitable manner as, forexample, having pontions of the container either removable or detachableand effecting, following the loading operation, the nal assembly of thecontainer. To discharge a pellet, the operator merely tilts thecontainer to till the passageway between the partition 6- and theadjacent wall 4 with pellets, the container being held with thedischarge end lowerrnost preferably at an angle, and pressure is appliedto the button 15 to move the latter inwardly which will result in themember 14 engaging the second pellet in the discharge line, and uponadditional movement of the member 14, such movement will be transmittedthrough the second pellet to the member 9 to spring the latter about itsconnection with the wall 3 substantailly as illustrated in FIG. 3. Uponsuiiicient movement to spread the bottom edge of the member 9 as viewedin FIG. 3, a distance greater than the thickness of a pellet, theleading pellet will be discharge from the container. Obviously, as thenext pellet is under compression between the members 9 and 14 and is infact the actuating means for opening the member 9, it will not bedischarged. Upon release of the member 14, the originally second pelletmay slide to the edge wall 5, thus becoming the leading pellet so thateach time the button 15 is actuated only a single pellet will bedischarged from the container.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that in the embodiment illustratedthe member 14 is relatively narrow compared with the member 9, as aresult of which it would be ditiicult to depress the member 114, in theabsence of the button 1S. Consequently, the height of the knob or buttonmay 'determine the limits of inward movement of the member 14 as theoperators thumb or linger normally will be larger in thickness than thewidth of the member 14, so that such thumb or Vlinger will be restrictedby the adjacent face of the wall 2 and lthe button will be depressedonly 'to an amount to bring the top face thereof approximately flushwith the plane of the wall 2.

It will be apparent that the present construction provides an extremelysimple yet highly eiicient container and dispenser for pellets and thelike, and which may be manufactured at very low cost, utilizing, ifdesired, plastics, etc.

Obviously, if desired more ornate arrangements could be employedutilizing the Vsame `general combination of elements.

FIGURES through 8 illustrate a modiue'd form of the invention, vtheconstruction being generally similar in operation but utilizing acentrally positioned discharge structure. The particular 'embodimentillustrated also utilizes a generally rectangular-shaped containerhaving an upper wall 2 and a lower wall 3 connected by the edge walls 4and 5, and like the construction illustrated in FIGS. l to 4, readilyadapts itself for fabrication from plastic or the like.

In this construction, the elongated partition wall 6 is generallyU-shaped having a pair 4of leg portions `16 connected by an intermediateportion 17 with one of the leg portions, as indicated at 18, extendingto the upper edge wall 5 as viewed in FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8, the wall 3' is formed with a U-shapedslot S which, as illustrated in FIG. 5, is operative to form anelongated tongue-like member 9 connected to the wall 3' adjacent thefree ends Vof the U-shaped slot 8'. In similar manner, the top wall 2'is provided with a generally U-shaped slot 11' which is operative toform an inwardly movable portion 14', the slot 11 having a semi-circularportion 19 of a size to permit the end of the member 14' to be engagedby the operators thumb. Y

In this construction, the pellets may be brought into the channelbetweenthe legs 16 of the U-shaped wall 6' as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and8, and with the free end of the member 9 extending downwardly asillustrated in FIG. 5, by applying pressure to the member 14', themember 9' maybe moved outwardly as illustrated in FIG.

7 whereby a pellet may be discharged therefrom. As in 1 the case of theconstruction illustrated in FIGS. l through 3, the member 14 preferablyis of a length to engage the second pellet in the discharge line wherebyonly a single pellet will be discharged each time the device isactuated. Ii desired, the member 9' may be provided with longitudinallyextending shoulders ZI for retaining the pellets thereon as illustratedin FIG. 8.

While the containers may be suitably wrapped in a protective coating orthe like to protect the same until usage, means may be provided directlyon the container to form a sealed, or if desired, a partially sealedpackage, such a construction being illustrated in FIG. 9.

The Walls of the container may bel suitably formed, as for example, by amolding process or the like with a thin web 22 across th'e respectiveslots, that illustrated in FIG. 9 being indicated as the slot 8' betweenlthe tongue 9' and the wall 3. The web 22 preferably is so formed thatit may be' readily fractured by pressure on the tongue 9 to sever thelatter along the slot from the wall, or in some applications may b'edesigned to bei fractured by applying pressure to the web with a knifeblade orV other fiat, thin instrument. Y

In the oase of the construction illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8, all of theslots 8' and 11', including the portion 19 may be so formed toeffectively seal the container. IIn

the construction illustrated in FIGS. l to 4, such web may be limited tothe slot 11, as the tongue 9 is illustrated as abutting the walls `4, 6and 5 along its respective edges, without any open spaces, although ifdesired, a similar construction could be provided for the slot 8, andeven for the other edges ofthe tongue in particular applications.

It will be appreciated that the dispensing mechanisms illustrated mayalso be employed with other containers, as for example, bottles andsimilar shaped containers having filler necks and the like, in whichcase the dispensing portion of the structure illustrated could besuitably designed for attachment to the ller structure of the container,as for example, by screw on threads, etc.

It will beV apparent from the above description that I have provided avery simple yet highly efficient dispenser which may have no separateparts and which may be very inexpensively manufactured. In some cases,the `container may be constructed as a reusable item in which case afiller opening could be placed in one wall of the structure and closedby a suitable cap member or the like.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcornbination or parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a dispenser for pellets and the like, the combination of agenerally rectangular shaped container structure adapted to receivegenerally disc-shaped pellets, said container having a depth slightlygreater than the thickness of the pellets to be contained, forming apair of oppositely disposed faces connected by relatively narrow edgewalls, one of said face 'walls being formed to provide an elongatedtongue-like member joined at one end to the wall body, the free end ofsaid member being movable outwardly from the plane of the associatedWall to provide a discharge opening for the discharge therethrough ofthe contained pellets, said container having internal wall meansoperative to divide the container into a plurality of sections, one ofwhich is substantially coextensive with said member, the width of thelatter section being such that pellets therein will be in seriatimrelation with respect to said discharge opening, the wall opposite saidmember being formed to provide an inwardly movable portion, the latterbeing adapted to engage the next to the leading pellet therebelow andlmove the latter therewith and thereby to move said member to a positionto discharge the leading pellet therefrom.

-2. A dispenserras defined in claim l wherein any edges of the movableelements and 'adjacent opposed wall edges, which are normally separatedby a space, are initially joined by an integral web structure which isconstructed for fracturing prior to dispensing operations, tooperatively sever the movable elements from said walls.

3. A dispenser as defined in claim l, wherein one longitudinal edge ofsaidm'ember is defined by an edge of the wall t'o which it is connected,with said internal wail extending substantially parallel t0 edge Walladjacent said edge of the member, and the erid edge of the latter beingdened by another edge of the container.

4. A dispenser as dened in clair'irl, wherein said member is formedwholly within the contines' of the wall from which it is formed, `withsaid internal wall being generally U-'shaped and having one leg portionthereof connected to the adjacent edge wall of the container, saidmember having a shoulder along each longitudinal edge.

5. A dispenser as defined in claim 3, wherein said inwardly movableportion is arranged to bear onthe second pellet with respect to saiddischarge opening, whereby only the leading pellet will be discharged.

6. A dispenser as defined in claim 4, wherein said inwardly movableportion is arranged to bear on the second pellet with respect to saiddischarge opening, whereby only the leading pellet will be discharged.

7. In a dispenser for pellets and the like, the combination of a pelletcontainer structure having a pair of oppositely disposed walls betweenwhich a plurality of pellets may successively pass, said walls havingoppositely disposed portions which are formed for movement transverselywith respect to the normal planes thereof to expose a pellet dischargeopening through which the pellets may be successively discharged, one ofsaid portions being constructed for the manual application of forcethereto to move the same transversely into engagement with a pelletdisposed between said portions, the latter being so spaced that movementof said first mentioned portion will be transmitted through the engagedpellet to the other portion to expose the pellet discharge openingwhereby another pellet disposed between said portions may be dischargedthrough such opening, said first mentioned pellet being retained in thecontainer by the frictional engagement thereof with said portionsincident to eiecting movement of the latter into pelletdischargingrelation.

8. A dispenser as defined in claim 7, wherein the container is providedwith internal wall means for guiding pellets into the dispensingstructure.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,035,246 Rea Mar. 24, 1936 2,415,859 Ancker Feb. 18, 1947 2,766,763Shough Oct. 16, 1956 2,834,456 Langer May 13, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS170,094 Austria June 15, 1951 898,580

Germany Dec. 3, 1953

